Easy Air Fryer Homemade Croissant (Printable Version)
Flaky, buttery French pastries made effortlessly in the air fryer for golden breakfast perfection.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - 1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast
05 - 1/2 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
07 - 1 large egg
→ Butter Block
08 - 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter
→ Egg Wash
09 - 1 egg, beaten
# How to Make It:
01 - Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 1 teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy and activated.
02 - Combine flour, remaining sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add melted butter, egg, and activated yeast mixture. Stir until incorporated, then knead for 5-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
03 - Place cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound and roll into an even 6x6 inch square. Refrigerate until firm.
04 - On a floured surface, roll chilled dough into a 12x12 inch square. Position butter block in the center and fold dough edges over to completely encase the butter, pinching seams to seal.
05 - Roll dough into a 16x8 inch rectangle. Fold into thirds like a letter. Rotate 90 degrees, roll out again, and fold once more. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
06 - Repeat rolling and folding process one additional time. Return dough to refrigerator for another 30 minutes chilling period.
07 - Roll dough into a 16x10 inch rectangle. Cut into 8 equal triangles. Starting from the wide end, roll each triangle toward the tip to form classic crescent shape.
08 - Arrange shaped croissants on parchment-lined tray, cover loosely, and let rise in a warm, draft-free area until puffy and doubled in size, approximately 1-2 hours.
09 - Preheat air fryer to 320°F. Brush risen croissants with beaten egg wash for golden finish.
10 - Place 2-4 croissants in air fryer basket without overcrowding. Air fry for 8-10 minutes until deep golden brown and fully baked. Repeat with remaining croissants.
11 - Allow croissants to cool briefly on wire rack before serving warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The air fryer creates that perfect flaky exterior without heating up your entire kitchen
- You get bakery style results with about half the effort of traditional methods
02 -
- Keep everything cold while working with the dough, especially the butter block, or you will lose those precious layers
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket or the croissants will steam instead of bake properly
03 -
- Work on a cool surface or marble countertop to keep the butter from melting too fast
- Freeze the shaped croissants before proofing if you want to bake them another day